Rat trap



Feb, 24. 1925. 1,527,328-- 1 B. PERCICH' RAT TRAP Filed oct. 10, 192s Patented Feb. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFQE.

REN PRRCICH, or WARREN, oHIo, AssIGNoR or GNR-HALF To JOHN VRNET'rn, or WARREN, omo.

RAT TRAP.

Application filed October 10, 1923.

Y T all @f3/10m t may con/cern.:

Be it known that I, BRN PnRoioH, a subject of the King of Italy, and resident of fai-ren, in the county ot Trumbull and State of Ohio7 have invented certa-in new and useful Improvements in Rat Traps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to animal traps and particularly traps for catching rats having the part so arranged that the animal may enter from any point to eat the bait on the bait holder.

This invention includes the provision in a rat trap ot' a base plate having a post extending upwardly from the center portion on which is slidably mounted an annular disk or smiting member provided with a series of rows of prongs on the underside and normally forced toward said base plate `by a coiled spring mounted on the post and secured at the upper end against movement thereon7 and a setting mechanism including a bell cra-nk lever pivoted on a projection from the base, having one end provided with an opening receiving the post and a bait` holder adjacent said opening, and the other end provided with a notch adapted to cooperate with a lever carried by a bracket on the annular disk for holdingthe disk in raised position by engagement with t-he upper end ot' the post. a feature ot the invention resides in the assemblage of the several independent parts through rtheir. connection with the postwhich is removably secured in` the base and holds all of said parts together'. Another `feature is the provision of means for holdingv t-he smiting member in raised position independent of the setting mechanism 'for the` purpose of permitting bait to beA applied to the bait holder without danger of injury to the hands in this operation.

The invention is described in detail in the following description and claims and shown in the accompanying' drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view ot the trap in set position. Figure 2 is a side elevation oit the trap in set position showing the disk holding bars in operative position in In this connectionV Serial No. 667,683.

dotted lines, and Figure 3 is a detail plan view of the base plate showing the construction of the bait holder and adjacent parts. n

1 indicates a base plate of annular form provided in the central portion with a post 2 extending upwardly therefrom and removably secured thereto. An annular disk 3 forming a smiting member is slidably mounted on said post and is provided on the under surface with a plurality of rows of spikes 4 arranged in staggered relation.. Acoil spring 5 is mounted on the post above the disk having one end engaging the upper tace of said disk and the other end abutting lateral projections 6 on the upper end of the post 2 and normally acting to torce said disk toward said base plate. The disk has a bracket 7 of U-shape secured thereto in inverted position which pivotally mounts a lever 8 adapted to seat in a crotch 9 formed on the upper end o1" the post, the tree end ot the lever cooperating with a hell cranklever 10. This bell crank lever is pivotally secured to said base pla-te through sliding en; gagement with the projection 11 carried by said plate and has one end provided with an opening 12,'receiving the post 2 and beyond this opening being formed into a bait holder 13. -A bracket 14 prevents disengagement of the bell crank lever from the lateral projection 11 when the post 2 is extended through the opening 12 in the lever, said post serving to hold this klever in assembled relation on the base plate and being further adapted for guiding the lever` during its operation. The other end of' this bell crank lever is provided with a notch 15 adapted to rece-ive the free end of the lever 8 for setting the smiting member in raised position to be released by an animal pullingupwardly on the bait carried by the bait holder so that the smiting member will be 'forced downwardly on the animal and catch and kill theI same.

To prevent a relative rotary movement ot the disk or smiting member on the post with respect to the base plate a pair of guide bars 16 are mounted in the base plate and extend upwardly parallel to the post through openings 17 in opposite edge portions of t-he disk. In order that the trap may be baited without injuring the person applying the baita plurality of bars 18 are pivotally secured to the disk in spaced relation about the periphery and adapte-d in one position to engage the plate and hold the disk spaced from the base Yplate independent of `the setting meclr anism and in inoperative position to lie on the upper portion of said base plate.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the post 2 holds all of the parts in assembled relation with respcctto the base plate When secured thereto and that the several parts may -be uncoupled upon removal of the vpost from the base plate. When the baitl holder is `providc-al with bait and the trap set vit will be noted that an animal may enter the trap from any point to-eat the bait and when an upvWa-rdpull is exerted on the bait, holder the bell crank lever will rbe movedtorelease the lever 8 which Will permit the spring'to :torce the smiting member downwardly to smite the animal regardlessof his position inthe trap and imprison and kill him.

' IV claim as my invention: Y

l. An animal trap comprising an annular base plate having a; post mounted in the central portion and extending upwardly therefrom, an annular smiting .member having a central opening to receive the postand slidablyl mounted thereon, an Aexpansion spring mounted on the post andengaging the smiting member for normally torcing it toward the base plate, 'a settingfmechanism :tor holding the smiting member spaced above the base Aplate against the tension ot the spring, anda plurality of Irods pivotcd at spaced intervals around'the edge of vthe smiting member adapted to hold `the smiting member in open or spaced relation `to the 7base plate indepcndenteofthe setting mechanism. I

An animal trap comprising Ya -bas plate, a smiting Vmember mounted fior reciprocating 4movement relative to `the base plate, means for normally Iforcing sa-idsmiting member toivard the base plate, au animal released setting mechanism including a bait holder 'for `setting the smiting member in spaced relationto the baseplate, and means vcarried by said smiting `member and movable to a position to engage said I base plate for holding the smiting "member spaced `from the base plate independent of the setting mechanism, 'to 'permit `placing bait on the bait holder.

3. An animal trap comprising an annular base plate, a post mounted in the centerp'rtion of said base plate, an annular disk forming a smiting member slidably mountyprongs forming a Abait holder, and a4 the other end with a notch, a bracket se-` ed on said post, guide rods mountedat opposite points on the base and projecting 'through openings in the smiting :member ,holding the smiting member in contact with the base plate, a trigger released holdingr .means for setting the trap with the smiting member in spaced relation to the base,

'and pivoted Vmembers carried by the smitlng member adapted for engagement with the base plate to hold `the smiting member spaced from 'the base plate independent of the 'trigger released means.

4. An animal trap comprising an annular base plate, a `post mounted in the `center portion thereof, an annular disk forming a smiting member slidable on said post, resilient means carried by the post fornorlmally "forcing said disk toward the vbase pla-te, and a setting mechanism, including a bell crank removably pivoted'to fthe base plate provided adjacent one end with an 'opening to receive said post and beyond said opening with prongs forming a `bait "holder, and adjacent the `other end With a notch, a bracket secured to said disk, and `a lever pivoted on said bracket adapted to seat on the end of said post and engage lthe notch in 'the bellcrank lever, for `setting said smiting member in `spaced relation from the base against the tension of said spring. 45. An animal trap comprising an annular base plate, a post removably `mounted in.

the center portion thereof, an annular disk post, resilient means engaging Vthe `post at one end and vhaving the other end en`ga`ging the `disk for normallyfforcing the `disk toward the base plate, `,and a setting mechanism, including a bell vcrank removably pivoted to the base plate, provided adjacent one endyivith an opening .to receive said post and beyond Said `opening with jacent cured to said disk, and alever pivoted on said bracket adapted to seaton the end of: said post .and engage the notch in the bell crank lever, for setting said smiting memberfin spaced relation from the basel plate against the tension of said spring, said `post securing all of the Aparte together `and to said base plate.

Qlnztestimony Whereotlhave signed this specification.

BEN PERCIGH. 

